Book Club with Lisa Gray - Reviews of Black Dahlia, Red Rose and The Zoo Quest Expeditions

Our columnist's thoughts on Piu Eatwell's fascinating examination of a famous case plus Sir David Attenborough's adventures as a young naturalist.

by Lisa Gray

08:05, 30 Sep 2017Updated17:09, 29 Sep 2017

Author Piu Eatwell examines the famous case of the Black Dahlia

REVIEW

ON JANUARY 15, 1947, the mutilated body of Elizabeth Short was found by a passer-by dumped near a sidewalk in a Los Angeles neighbourhood.

Dubbed the Black Dahlia by the press due to her dark hair and black lacy clothing, the murder would become one of America’s most notorious unsolved crimes.

But was it really unsolved? In Black Dahlia, Red Rose, author Piu Eatwell reopens a case that has been shrouded in mystery and intrigue for 70 years.

And what she finds is evidence to suggest the LAPD had the murderer at the time – and let him go.

The Paris-based writer documents a web of corruption and cover-ups that led to the prime suspect walking free, before she sensationally reveals the identity of the man she believes was the killer and the motel where the beautiful starlet’s life was so brutally ended.

Black Dahlia, Red Rose claims to provide answers after 70 years

Black Dahlia, Red Rose is a fascinating examination of the case.

Written in a narrative style that evokes the smoky noir of LA in the 1940s, it’s a gripping tale featuring a host of colourful characters – from hard-boiled cops and intrepid journalists to wannabe actresses and Hollywood gangsters.

It was hard to put down. When I wasn’t reading it, I found myself thinking about the Dahlia and her untimely death.

But does Eatwell solve the case, as she claims?

After three years of painstaking research, she puts forward a compelling and convincing conclusion. It’s a must-read.